Pedestrian, 73, hit and killed by car near Camarillo

A 73-year-old Lompoc man was struck by a car and killed near Camarillo before dawn Monday, authorities said.

The man was walking in lanes of Fifth Street near Wood Road when the crash occurred about 3:10 a.m., said Officer Steve Reid, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol's Ventura office. Authorities did not release the victim's name Monday because they were trying to notify relatives.

The pedestrian was wearing dark clothing, and the area, which has no lights, also was dark, Reid said.

Alfred Suniga Jr. was driving east on Fifth Street on his way to work when he saw the pedestrian in the road, braked and steered left into a westbound lane to try to avoid him, Reid said.

Suniga, 67, of Oxnard could not avoid hitting the man and the right front end of his vehicle struck the pedestrian, Reid said. The victim came to rest along the south shoulder.

After the crash, the driver went back to help the pedestrian, patrol officials said. Suniga and a witness stopped and stayed with the victim until Ventura County firefighters and patrol officers arrived, Reid said. The witness called 911, Reid said.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, Reid said. An eastbound lane of Fifth was closed briefly.

The incident remained under investigation, and it was unclear why the man was walking in the road.

Authorities determined after an autopsy that he victim died of blunt-force neck injuries, said James Baroni, chief deputy Ventura County medical examiner. The death was ruled an accident, he said.